The management of Osun State University today, 19th of March, held a sensitization campaign on the prevention against the spread of Coronavirus disease with the theme “COVID – 19: A bird’s eye view into an intriguing pandemic” at the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Auditorium, main campus of the University. The objectives of campaign was are to enlighten and answer queries on the trending global issue, titled COVID – 19.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Labode Popoola, while welcoming guests from all works of life at the seminar said “Our greatest enemy right now is not the coronavirus itself, it’s the fear, rumors, stigma, and our greatest assets are facts, reason, and solidarity.”
He added, “It is as a result of this, that the unique University, a problem-solving University which is not just a university that is set up to teach students alone but to give back to the public, to enlighten and answer queries of the public on various issues that might have a negative effect on them and care for the people by supporting them in various ways is now here to enlighten the public and answer queries on this trending global issue”.
One of the speakers at the event, Dr. W.F Sule, a seasoned virologist from the department of Micro-biology at Osun State University while delivering his paper said “Corona Virus is a harmful disease agent that we cannot see with our eyes. The risk assessment is very high at the global level and it has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO)”.
This virus can easily be transmitted through infected bodily fluids, through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, person to person contact, and contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
The symptoms of the disease are fever, persistent sneezing, persistent coughing, headache, breathing difficulty and so on.
Essentially, this COVID -19 can be prevented by maintaining good hygiene, covering of nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, keeping a social distance of 3ft, avoiding touching of one’s eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, avoiding crowded places, washing of hands with soap and water or the usage of alcohol-based hand sanitizer regularly, avoiding traveling to the affected area unless necessary, and seeking of medical attention when feeling sick.
The Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA) in the State of Osun also join the University by demonstrating and teaching the participants how to wash their hands properly and how to apply the alcohol-based hand sanitizers on their hands to be safe and avoid the spread of the disease.
The management of the University under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Labode Popoola thereby declares the sensitization programme closed by sharing alcohol-based hand sanitizers and fliers that contain all the information on how to stay safe and avoid the spread of the dangerous disease to all the participants.
